Abandonment Issues
by idontknowanymore22
Summary: What happens when your past is held up to you like a mirror in the face of another?
1. chapter 1

"Hey, kid." he heard a familiar voice say. "Kid, wake up. Time to go." Then he felt a wet nose on his forehead.

The orange cat yawned and blinked. His vision was a bit blurry for a second but once his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see the scruffy face of the dog that had tricked him into stealing food not too long ago… But he did save him from that Doberman last night. And that was probably the reason he slept snuggled up to the mutt.

"Wha…" the kitten said, still sleepy.

"Mornin' kiddo! Quit grillin' at me and hurry up, we gotta go." The dog said while stretching.

"Where?" the kid asked.

"The city, kid. We got a lot of work to do." replied the mutt as he was heading for the stairs.

"Dodger?" asked the cat.

"What?" Dodger looked back at him, brow raised.

"I'm hungry." Right on cue the kitten's stomach let out a small growl.

The dog felt a pang of guilt because he never really gave the kid his share. Come to think of it, he actually never got to eat his own.

"Aight, wait a sec." A moment later he dropped a hot dog in the small cat's paws.

"Eat up, catto, 'cause it's the last one." prompted the canine.

The kitten devoured the sausage like a starving predator. He did look like a tiger cub because of his tiger like coloration.

Dodger thought the same as he watched the kitten eat and smiled to himself, shaking his head.

The feline noticed that. "Whuth?" he managed, his words barely comprehensible because of his stuffed mouth.

"Anybody ever told ya ya look like a tiger cub, kid?" Dodger asked.

"Wusth ah thigah? the kitten tried once again to speak with a full mouth.

"Ya don't know what a tiger is?" the dog was surpised.

"Wehl." the orange cat gulped "No, I don't. What is it?"

Dodger was about to answer but then another voice joined in on their conversation.

"It's a type of wild cat at least fifty times your size." answered Rita. "Also, we have to hurry, Fagin is waiting on us." she added, looking at Dodger.

"Yeah, right. Come on kid, let's show ya how we live… or die, if we don't find the cash." said Dodger with a smile, contrasting his last statement.

Even though Fagin's scooter was small and barely functional all the dogs – and cat – fit surprisingly well.

The amount of smoke that thing produced, coupled with the loud choking sound and the animals stuffed in the makeshift basket at the back, was quite the sight. Certainly something you'd remember.

The cat was holding onto Dodger's paw for dear life.

"Relax, kid! You ain't gonna fall, I got ya." said the canine.

To be honest, Dodger was growing fond of the cat. He reminded him of himself. He reminded him of himself a lot, actually. Maybe that's why he let the kid sleep snuggled up to him. But the dog would never admit it.

"Okay, Dodge" replied the kitten, trying his best to look like Fagin's driving didn't bother him.

"Hey, ya callin' me Dodge already? Be careful kid, I might start callin' ya-" and it just dawned on him that he didn't know the cat's name.

"Heh, you know, actually I need ya name first."

The cat looked troubled.

"Um… I don't… have a name." he replied ashamed, as though it was his fault.

Dodger's expression changed from confused to sad. But then he got an idea.

"Well… what about-"

"Alright, gang, this is the big one! We have three days to do or die." Fagin interrupted them, while tooting the scooter's horn.

„Dodger, you keep an eye on the little kid…"

And he was planning on doing just that. The kitten had endured too much and was still way too young to understand but he seemed to be coping with it pretty well. He had a smile on his face.

"…I just want you to keep one thing in mind-", Fagin was bad at driving but he was considerably worse at stopping. He almost crashed into an alleyway.

"Dead men do not buy dog food! So big smiles and get out there and fetch!" with the man's command all of the dogs leapt out of the basket and he drove away in smoke.

"Alright, if Mr. Sykes don't see some cold hard cash soon we are Doberman chow. Come on!" Dodger said to the gang. He made sure the kid was still with them of course.

He was going to come up with a name for the little cat. He just needed to take care of this first.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello? What have we here?", Dodger had noticed a Cadillac limo passing by him and the gang.

"All right! A chauffeur shuffle!", exclaimed Tito eagerly.

"Listen up! Einstein, gimmie a fender bender at two lights", Dodger instructed and the dopey Great Dane nodded.

"Tito, you're in charge of electronics.", this made the Chihuahua shake with excitement.

"Rita and I'll work the crowd. Francis…"

"I know. My public awaits.", and last but not least, the Bulldog answered dramatically not missing a beat.

"Hey, but what about me? What do I do?", asked the kitten ready to help any way he can.

Dodger _almost_ forgot about him. He mentally slapped himself.

"You help Tito.", the dog added finally.

"All right! Come on, gato, eh, Uncle Tito will show you how it's done.", Tito put a paw around the cat's little shoulder.

"Ready? Go!", commanded Dodger and everybody split.

He and Rita mingled with some people on the street and waited.

"You feel alright about letting Tito watch over the kid?", Rita asked.

"Yeah, I ain't worried.", he lied, obviously.

The dog was in fact very worried, given that Tito was about the same size as the cat which meant that if something were to go wrong, the Chihuahua would most likely have no chance of helping the kitten.

"Really? 'Cause you sure do look worried to me.", Rita replied smugly.

Dodger was _mildly_ caught off guard.

"If ya say so." He tried to act indifferent while observing Einstein to make sure he's doing thing he told him to.

"The kid seems to have a crush on you." This made Dodger's eyes pop out. He looked both horrified and embarrassed.

"No! Not like that, you dumb dog! The kinda crush kids have on someone they see as a role model.", she corrected herself, or rather clarified her former comment "You're like a superhero to him. It's kinda cute."

Dodger didn't know what to say. This made him feel great and terrible at the same time.

"Heh, what can I say, I'm one of kind.", he said, trying to sound cocky but Rita knew him too well.

Just as he finished his sentence, Einstein charged at the limo and hit it good.

Both Rita and Dodger winced.

"Do you think he'll be all right?", Rita was first to ask.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure he'll be fine. He's a large boy.", he didn't necessarily sound convincing.

"Look at Frankie!", said Rita amused.

"Yeah, he's really milkin' it, isn't he…", Dodger laughed.

"Dodge, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Uh-Oh. ' _Dodge'_ , meant the topic was sensitive and the time wasn't right.

"Are you trying to help the kid because he's like you?"

Dodger looked troubled.

"I-", the mutt began but was interrupted by a growl.

Out of nowhere the car started and both dogs thought that was their que but something flew out of the right window and the crowd noticed them.

"Let's get outta here!", called Dodger.

The gang hid in a corner full of cardboard boxes and other junk.

"Where's the kid?", Rita asked Dodger worried.

" _Cough-cough_ He musta been in the car, man!", the toasted Chihuahua answered.

Okay, _now_ Dodger was very worried.

"You were supposed to keep an eye on him, _Tito!_ " _,_ he put an extra emphasis on his name to let him know how pissed he was.

" _Cough,_ well, it's hard to watch anything when you're getting barbequed, man!", Tito had a point there.

"What are we gonna do, Dodge?", Rita asked her friend.

He jumped out of a box and said "Tito, come with me! The rest of you, go back to Fagin.", and then ran off with Tito.

"You really screwed up this time.", Dodger told him while they were chasing the limo.

"Give me a break, man, it wasn't my fault, man!", Tito defended himself.

"It clearly was, though! I can't trust you with anything!", Dodger raised his tone.  
"Dodger, man, calm down, I'm sorry.", and then Dodger realized he was actually yelling at his friend. Probably because he was running and gasping but that wasn't the case.

"There!", he pointed at the limo that parked near a large house.

Dodger tried to go in but the door closed right in his face.

"Crap!", he exclaimed.

"Man, check it out! How many people live here?", Tito was clearly impressed with the size of the house but that was a given since he was, well, tiny.

"Let's get back to the gang, we need help!"

And with that the two dogs ran back to Fagin.


	3. Chapter 3

The plan to save the kid went off without a hitch. The gang managed to sneak into the house. There they found a female poodle that was a bit full of herself – and Tito totally fell for her – but at least she led them to the kitten. So they put him in a bag and brought him home.

When they arrived on the ship and were sure it was safe, they let the kid out.

"Hey, wait. What's going on, you guys?", asked the kitten upon being released from the bag. He was probably quite scared.

"Just the rescue of the century!", Tito chimed in, "Shoulda seen how Frankie handled that butler."

"I was rather good, wasn't I?", Francied tooted his own horn.

"And how about Tito and Miss Six-time National champion?", said Dodger mocking the poodle.

"Hey, hey, but, wait. I don't understand you guys.", the small feline was clearly distressed and confused.

"Hey, you okay kid?", Rita asked him because she noticed it.

"Yeah, I'm fine.", at that moment Tito grabbed him and planted a huge kiss on his forehead.

"Hey, sure he is! He's back with his Uncle Tito"

But the kid backed off.

"I was happy there! What did you guys take me away?"

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Dodger was taken aback by the comment.

"We recued you, kitty. We… We brought you home." Einstein was the first to break the silence, clearly confused.

"But, well, I have another home now. And someone who loves me.", the cat replied.

" _Someone who loves you_?", thought Dodger.

"What do you mean, kid? You're in the _gang_.", he got up and approached the orange kitten.

"But, but…", and the kid didn't know what to say.

"The gang means _family_.", the dog was getting emotional because his voice clearly cracked when he uttered the last word. "We risked a lot to get you outta there.", he added.

"Look, I'm sorry… But all I ever wanted was… was like.", the kitten was on the verge of crying.

 _You wanted to have it all, didn't you?_

"What, what, this place is not good enough for you anymore? Don't wanna mix with the riffraff?", asked Dodger. Although these were rhetorical questions. He was just making a point.

"No, no! I like you. I mean, I like… I like every… every one of you, but… There was a little girl… I just wanna go back.", he finished letting a single tear drop.

"We never shoulda took him, Dodger.", Rita whispered in his ear.

 _I never shoulda brought him here in the first place…_

"Dodger, please.", the kitten sniffled.

 _Alright then!_

"You wanna leave? _Fine_! There's the door.", the dog was getting a bit unstable which was not like him at all.

"But he just got here.", Einstein tried to reason with the mutt.

"Go on! No one's stoppin' ya.", Dodger said, letting know that he didn't care.

But why was he getting so worked up over it then?

"Hey, uh, Dodger, man, uh, lighten up.", Tito tried to calm him down.

" _You_ lighten up!", he spit in the Chihuahua's face.

"If he doesn't like it, let up him go.", and with that he sat in Fagin's chair with his back turned to all of them.

He couldn't let them see he started crying.

The small cat was looking at him the whole time until he slowly turned around and started climbing the steps.

But at that moment Fagin came back.


	4. Chapter 4

Fagin saw that the cat was trying to climb the stairs and gently picked him up.

He was mumbling again because he obviously had no idea how to find so much money. He was surely done for…

As the man was stroking the kitten to try and calm down he felt something on his neck.

"What's this?", Fagin asked as he was looking at it.

It was a tag with a name and address – _OLIVER 1125 5_ _th_ _Avenue_

"So that's where you've been.", the man said surprised, "Looks like you're doing alright for yourself, _Oliver_."

 _Oliver? They even named him?_ Dodger had wanted to name the kid. He even had a nice name picked for him. But it didn't matter anymore. He was done with… Oliver.

"Your owner probably spends more money on catnip than we do on food in a month.", Fagin had a point, "He's probably worried sick about ya. All alone in that big house, with only his money to comfort him. Only his millions and millions of dollars and-"

That's when the man had an idea.

"He-he-he. That's it! We're saved!", Fagin said as he leapt out of the chair and started running around the place not paying attention that he almost stepped on his dogs.

"What a plan, yes! P-paper! Paper!", he grabbed a random piece of paper from the bin and a green crayon as he pulled out a broken ironing board and used it as a desk.

"Dear Mr. rich-. Nah!", Fagin scratched that, "Mr. very rich, ha-ha-ha." As he was writing this later he was sliding down because the ironing board broke down completely.

He thought that keeping Oliver hostage and asking for ransom money could save him.

Once Fagin was done with that he took Dodger and Oliver with him to meet with Sykes.

He probably brought the dog for protection even though he was too small to defend his master against those huge Dobermans.

The strange thing is the man put Oliver in his pocket. He would've suffocated if it weren't for the holes in the coat.

The kitten tried to talk to Dodger while they were walking towards the shark and begged the dog to help him but he acted indifferent.

„Relax, _Oliver_. He's just gonna talk to Sykes.", the dog's tone was dripping with sarcasm and sardonic overtones.

The kid wasn't stupid. He picked up on it and that made him sad.

"Dodge, why do you hate me?", Oliver clearly had no idea what he did wrong. He just wanted to be happy.

His question made Dodger think. He didn't _hate_ the kid - he was jealous and hurt.

"I don't hate ya. You made yourself crystal clear. Ya don't want to be around us, 'cause ya prefer the company of shallow rich kids who begged mommy and daddy to buy them a kitty just 'cause they really want one!", the dog said that low and emotionless on the outside but on the inside he felt like growling.

"Jenny's not like that!", Oliver tried to defend his friend, "She helped me, fed me and treated me well. She's got nobody. Her parents are never home. I'm all she's got. Ow!"

Fagin patted his pocket to make sure the cat wasn't trying to escape.

"And what about the Champ, kid? She's got that b-", Dodger almost let it slip, "That poodle. She just likes to collect animals like all the other rich kids. That's how it starts, she's treating you well now but once she's tired of you, she'll get another pet."

"How do you know that? Because Fagin has five dogs?", Oliver countered the mutt's statement looking at the man.

"That's different. He's poor, kid. He appreciates the little things in life like _family_. Not like that girl Penny's parents.", Dodger corrected.

"Her name is Jenny and you don't know her or her parents. They're just very busy.", Oliver was getting pretty defensive.

"Jenny, Penny, same dif. Rich kid names. Her parents don't care for her, they've got money, that's all they care about. She's probably gonna grow up to be the same only more depressed.", Dodger concluded.

"You're very mean!", Oliver didn't like Dodger's attitude.

"You're very naïve!", the mutt countered.

"Why are you doing this? Do you know what I've been through?", Oliver asked a bit emotional.

"I was left alone on the street. Every single one of my siblings was picked by someone but I wasn't. I spent the night hiding from a pack of hungry dogs. Then you found me and… and tricked me into stealing food that you stole from me. I hated you for it but… you were nice to me… And now you're mean again! You're not being fair.", Oliver wasn't angry. He was just hurt by Dodger's words.

"Listen, kid. You're not the only one who's had rough times. Don't be a prima donna.", The dog replied.

"What do you know?", the cat was fed up with Dodger.

"A lot more than you. I've had the experience.", the dog said.

"I'm starting to doubt it. The only experience you have is being a jerk."

"Watch the tone, cat! I said I don't eat cats but I haven't had anything in two days so I'm willing to reconsider", Dodger warned him.

"I believe you…"

The canine sighed.

"Look, kid. Let's just agree that we're very different. You're not like me. I thought that maybe ya had it in ya, but now I see that you're just a cat. Ya like the comfort of the warm bed by the fire - I like the discomfort of my freedom. Ya weren't picked by a human. I wasn't let in the box."

Oliver was actually listening to the dog through the pocket.

"But now we need money to pay this shark or else we'll be sleeping _with_ the sharks. You'll be with your Jenny soon and you'll never have to see me again, don't worry."

And with that, Dodger said no more.

Probably because the three of them reached their destination.


End file.
